Behind green doors Perham’s Someplace Safe offers safety and choice

Two green doors embedded in the gray brick of a West Main Street building in Perham lead to a haven for people who may not otherwise feel safe." That description captures the Perham advocacy office for Someplace Safe, a confidential, client-led program serving nine counties in west-central Minnesota.

As subzero air rushes into the hallway when the doors open, a cluster of signs posted nearby invites people inside for help, signaling both discretion and outreach in a small downtown setting. The physical entryway reflects the office’s purpose: a low-profile, staffed space intended to protect privacy while connecting survivors to services.

Someplace Safe’s Perham advocacy office — described by staff and the Detroit Lakes Tribune reporter as a discreet space behind two green doors on West Main Street — provides confidential, client-led advocacy and a range of survivor services for victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, and tra

Services available through the Perham location and the wider Someplace Safe network include specialized advocacy for youth and young adults connected to Minnesota’s Safe at Home program and labor trafficking advocacy for people exploited by employers. "Someplace Safe also offers specialized advocacy for youth and young adults who are experiencing, or are at risk of human trafficking or sexual exploitation through Minnesota’s Safe at Home program, as well as labor trafficking advocacy for people facing exploitation by employers."

Program staffing is arranged around client needs: "Youth advocates are trained specifically to work with clients under 18, while labor trafficking advocates assist those navigating unsafe or coercive work conditions." Advocates emphasize their role in decision-making: "Throughout all of its services, advocates emphasize that their role is to support rather than direct the choices clients make."

Beyond crisis and advocacy work, Someplace Safe operates Parenting Time Centers that "offer supervised visits and exchanges in a safe environment," provides court-related advocacy for crime victims, and "runs a 24-hour crisis line." The organization also maintains three thrift stores to help fund programs; per the reporting, these stores "help fund programs and allow survivors to choose essential items after fleeing unsafe situations."

Photographs accompanying the coverage appear under filenames someplacesafe-5.jpg and someplacesafe-6.jpg, reinforcing the visual contrast of the green doors and the gray brick on West Main Street. A social post sharing the headline registered 13 views, reflecting early online attention to the Perham office.

The Perham site functions as one entry point in a nine-county service area, balancing visible community presence with measures designed to protect confidentiality. For residents navigating domestic violence, sexual assault, or trafficking concerns in west-central Minnesota, the green doors on West Main Street now mark a discreet doorway to client-led support and a network of programs that includes supervised parenting time, court advocacy, and 24-hour crisis response.